A/N: I'm really quite tired right now, and I was going to wait until tomorrow to update this...but then one of those little review notices appeared in my mailbox, and it made me happy, and I do strange things when I'm happy. Like updating stories instead of sleeping. Besides, Oruka is reminding me that I already have the whole story written, so I have no excuse for not posting chapters regularly. Oh, did I mention that I ramble when I'm sleepy?

The King of Hell
by Lamenting Fox

Chapter Four: Unwanted Darkness

Yuuto opened his eyes groggily. His head throbbed and his body ached, but he was alive. He was bound and gagged, ling on his side in front of a pile of boxes.

After much struggling and cursing, he managed to push himself into a sitting position. He leaned back against the boxes and rested. When he stopped panting, he tried to push himself to his feet.

Pain lanced through his left foot and he let out a muffled scream as he dropped back down. Tears stung his eyes and the room spun mercilessly.

Well, isn't that nice, he thought sarcastically. I've been kidnapped and my foot is broken. I thought these things only happened to Kotarou. He sighed heavily. Now what?

Weakened by his own pain, Yuuto slumped sideways. "Hello, floor. I'm Yuuto. Nice to meet you," he mumbled tiredly through the gag before slipping back into blissful unconsciousness.

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Tatsuki slid off his bike outside of a warehouse. He didn't want Koutari to know they were here, so he didn't want to make too much noise by driving his bike through the warehouses.

He looked around in irritation at the numberless warehouses stretching into the distance on both sides.

"We need to find the lake. The warehouse we're looking for is right near it, and it has the number nine painted on the side," he said to Kotarou.

"What?" Kotarou looked at him in disbelief. "But there must be hundreds of buildings here. It could take forever! What if Yuuto is hurt?"

"Fine," Tatsuki sighed. "We'll split up then. You take all of the warehouses on that side," he ordered, pointing to his right, "and all take the ones on this side."

"If you find it, don't be stupid and go in alone."

Kotarou turned red. "I can take care of myself, thanks," he snapped.

Tatsuki was silent. After a moment, Kotarou looked away. "Fine," he grumbled.

"Meet me back here in twenty minutes," Tatsuki said.

The two separated and began searching for warehouse nine. Tatsuki passed building after numberless building, and he saw no sign of the lake he'd seen in his vision, but he was certain this was the place.

Koutari left me that part of the past on purpose, he thought. I couldn't see anything until I touched both Yuuto's blood and Kotarou. What's that bastard up to?

After what seemed like hours, Tatsuki spied the glimmer of the twilit sky reflecting on water up ahead. He picked up his pace, and within a minute or to he was a stone's throw away from the lake, rippling gently in the slight breeze. He glanced behind him and saw the highway in the distance, just as he had in his vision.

So the warehouse must be right--

Crunch.

Tatsuki whipped around. In front of him stood a smug Koutari.

"I knew you'd come. Honestly, Tatsuki, you're so predictable."

"Why are you doing this? Tatsuki asked evenly, though inside he was trembling with fear.

Koutari's expression changed with lightning speed. His eyes were cold and filled with a vicious hatred. "Why?" he repeated nastily. "Oh, no, I'm not going to tell you why. You see, I wanted you to suffer, and what better way to accomplish that than to let you die without knowing what you did wrong?"

Koutari sprang at him, throwing wild punches and clawing at his face. Tatsuki fought back, landing solid punches and kicks, but Koutari was filled with a fury that would not be denied. One hit to his stomach and another to his back as he doubled over brought Tatsuki down. Koutari rolled him over with his foot. He knelt down to straddle Tatsuki's chest, and wrapped his hands in a vicelike grip around the dark-haired boy's throat.

"Don't fight it, Tatsuki," he giggled madly. "You'll never win. Never!"

Tatsuki struggled, but he was getting weaker by the second. Koutari squeezed harder, and Tatsuki's vision went black.